Blacktail Deer Plateau willow blossom

on a barren bluff, chakliux found fallen blue-birch around which several mosses had grown, rocks beneath covered in lichen. it was too open here for his intentions, but the view afforded a wide sweeping view of the plateau entire.
just below, tucked against the river in a curve of pine, the seal hunter discovered what he was seeking. piles of bark and fallen branches laid upon soft earth, easily turned.
lodges.
they would need six, he estimated, intending that none of moontide be left outside their group of homes.
so swift the year came! soon he would bring a new litter of seal hunters back from the sea to receive their scars.

Moon Runner roamed far and wide, free as a bird on the wing.

She hunted. She slept beneath the stars. Alone, but always with her spirit.

She sought high ground and scaled a ridge of earth. Here, wolfscent coalesced.

A budding clan?

Moon Runner had always been curious in nature… and now this trait was gilded with the naive invincibility that accompanied young adulthood. She blantantly crossed whatever thresholds had been marked and strode into the plateau as if she lived there.

What would bold Sister think? her spirit mused.

Then, she saw a figure. A pale, uniquely scarred man.

Moon Runner’s tail curled. Inquisitive. Daring. Her claws dug into the loam, ready to run but not wanting to.

older than his children, but younger than himself, chakliux felt he might know why she approached. he kept himself still and idle, watching her from the corner of one eye.
gathering fallen bark, limp-laying branches, he brought them into a pile. "you have found moontide," chakliux murmured at length, at last turning to glance at the young wolf.
but he did not approach; the seal hunter waved his tail once and returned to his work.

Moon Runner expected to be aggressively chased away... but the man didn't even show a toothtip. It was strange for him to behave so placidly despite her encroaching presence. His calm demeanor kept focused on the task at hand… collecting… sticks?

Her head cocked to the side. If she was being honest, perhaps Moon Runner sought the thrill of danger. Of challenge. Of pursuit.

Her amber eyes spied his watchful hollyberry gaze. She should not doubt his capabilties. The marks, alone, proved his strength.

She approached cautiously with a low head.

What was the pile of debris for? her spirit wondered.

"it is for the lodges i will build here," chakliux explained, following the line of her eyes. could she not speak? did she not wish to speak? but he did not ask. "i am a seal hunter, from moontide, on the coast. we are moving here, so i am scouting."
it did not dissuade him to speak aloud with no answer; the seal hunter was used to holding discourse with himself or even singing where he could be heard. such was the good life of his plateaued coast, for now held by pained longing in his heart.
"do you wish to see how one is built?"

The light of intelligence was bright in Moon Runner’s eyes, however Chakliux would not see a spark of understanding when he spoke. It was coincidental that her muzzle lifted to take his scent from the air between them at the moment he mentioned his clan…

Brine… like Dry Creek and Oak Leaf…
Red cedar and spruce from the coast…
Wolfscent of his packmates…

Moon Runner remebered a time when Wise Father had shown his daughter the Maplewood… and so she deducted that this saltwolf’s pack had recently relocated to the plateau where she had blantantly crossed their fresh borders.

But why?

She moved closer, to inspect the pile before him. There was a lilt to his sounds that denoted a question.

Curious, she took a branch with her teeth with the intention to chew it…

quietly she stole closer, jaws perusing that which was offered. chakliux grinned and grabbed his own bundle of the stuff, carrying it toward the tight-standing trees.
here the boles stood close together. with care he began to pile the deadfall there, taking care to heap the branches atop one another.
"here," he encouraged in seal, motioning that she should bring close her branch, "we will put it on top."
it was good to build a lodge again; the weight of the wood was steady in his grasp, all muscles attuned to this building.

TT___TT

Moon Runner laid down to merrily gnaw on the stick a few chomps… until she realized the male walked away with his bundle. She had trouble parsing his intention. Were these not things to chew? Quickly, she picked up the branch and followed after him – learning of his odd way through their social interactions.

A systemtatic pile of these sticks wedged themslves among a cluster of trees… and Moon Runner’s head couldn’t help but tilt to the side when the male placed his among the rest. Despite her confusion, Moon Runner mimicked him and put her stick on the top.

Her amber eyes stole a glance of his face. He was focused, attuned to whatever this work was… stoic and contemplative. He was older, like Wise Father, but handsome, her spirit thought. If she howled during the cold winter would he answer? Would Faraway Shadow? Icemelt?

Her tail curled at the thought.

;;;;;;;; <33

perhaps she had lived long enough with only herself for company, chakliux thought, his focus so intent upon his work that he did not notice her thoughtful glance. he slapped a paw against the stacked branches as if to test, nodded, and straightened to his height.
"again." 
tirelessly did chakliux bring more branches, piling them on the other side of the trees until the gaps between each bole were blocked by the wind.
"now. mud."
pacing a few feet away, the seal hunter dug his claws into the frozen earth, cutting furrows and lowering his mouth to breathe upon the dirt until its coldness started to give way.

Despite Moon Runner’s curiosity, she quickly became bored of the man’s repetative task. It lost its novelty the second time around… and her mischevious spirit wished to see the male more animated.

When he had his back turned, digging at the earth, Moon Runner moved to grab a protruding stick from the bottom of the carefully factured pile. If she were to pull it, surely the whole thing would tumble down like a jenga tower.

paws daubed with mud, the seal hunter was not able to react as fast as he wished. when the pale girl moved aside, he did not at first notice.
"wait! no!" and his voice was filled with a paternal frustration.
but now chakliux laughed and grabbed for the stick, thinking of sea hunter and how he had glibly carried a twig in the same way.
heart; aching.

The salt wolf made a noise that said desist! But impish Moon Runner did not listen and forcefully pulled the stick from the foundation. To her surprise the henge, designed by one so practiced, did not fall!

She cocked her head, surprised, and so the white wolf was able to grab the end of the stick she had stole. He was almost able to swipe it, but Moon Runner’s jaws bore down upon the soft wood in the nick of time. She shifted her weight back and growled playfully.

by all rights he should be exasperated, but her little gambit had showed the worth of his work, and her good humour fired his own. chakliux was dispassionate due to their move; he looked forward only to being alone with his wife, roaming where they would. perhaps they might even welcome new little seal hunters far from here, out on the sea ice.
such a playtime encouraged him; he shook his head in controlled fashion, dragging backward as he tested the loner's strength.
leaves fell down softly around he and she as they cavorted.

Moon Runner would not let the salt wolf best her so easily!

She braced her legs when he tugged, and counter-yanked when he paused. Her bottle-brush tail ribboned in the air gaily, genuinely enjoying their match.

Without warning, she released their toy and turned and ran, path aligned with the wilds.

She paused.

Would he follow?